Dan Mueller, left, and Jessica Carrillo pass a mosaic of the space shuttle Columbia at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey. Its annual deficit of more than $500,000 comes out of the city budget. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)
The Inspiration, a full-scale space shuttle mock-up, is on display near the space museum but will soon be moved into storage because of a lack of funds. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)
Downey recreational leader Blanca Martinez walks through the space center, which opened in 2009 at a cost of $8 million. City officials hope the opening of a shopping center next to the museum will attract more visitors. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)
“Our city government is not in the business of running museums,” Downey Mayor Fernando Vasquez says. City officials are hoping to wean the space center off public funding. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)
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Jessica Peck walks through the Columbia Memorial Space Center. The museum is a showcase for Downey’s seven-decade affiliation with the aerospace industry. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)
